The Trail Blazers’ frontcourt received a 6-foot-11 sized reinforcement on Wednesday night, when Joel Freeland made his eagerly anticipated return from injury.

It was by and large a successful night for the backup big man, who recorded six points, seven rebounds and two assists in nearly 18 minutes, and the best news of all came after the Blazers’ 110-104 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers.

“Knee was fine,” Freeland said. “Didn’t really have any pain at all when I was playing.”

Freeland had not played since spraining the MCL in his right knee during a loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Feb. 11. The nearly nine-week break from basketball was the longest in his professional career — including his years playing in the Spanish ACB League — and Freeland grew frustrated and anxious as he rehabilitated amid lingering questions about whether he would return this season.

But those concerns were alleviated Wednesday night. There was a little rust here and there, but there were also glimpses of the player who was so critical to the Blazers’ early-season success. Freeland snared his first rebound 14 seconds into his first shift and made his presence felt early, recording four points, two rebounds and an assist during his first shift. Freeland battled for rebounds, he shared the ball — logging one assist on a nifty pass through traffic to a cutting Victor Claver that resulted in a layup — and he played solid defense.

And throughout it all, his right knee was rock-solid.

“It’s relieving, if anything,” Freeland said. “It had been so long. I haven’t been out for two months — going on nine weeks — in my whole career. And to be out that long was tough. I didn’t think about (my knee) at all. And I haven’t over the past three or four practice sessions. And it’s been good.”

But during the 29 games that Freeland was sidelined, the Blazers were forced to move on, and coach Terry Stotts tweaked the style and makeup of his second unit. Dorell Wright has been used more often at power forward, and the Blazers have played more “small ball,” featuring a spread-the-floor, shooting-heavy lineup.

It’s unclear how — or if — Stotts will use Freeland in the playoffs, and he refused to say whether the second-year power forward/center would be a part of the Blazers’ rotation against the Rockets.

“I’m not sure how he fits in,” Stotts said. “But I don’t have any reservations about playing him.”

At the very least, Freeland is healthy. The Rockets feature perhaps the best center tandem in the NBA in Dwight Howard and Omer Asik, so odds are high Freeland will be used at some point. At worst, he's a big body Stotts can insert in the game to collect a few fouls and give starting center Robin Lopez a breather. At best, he'll regain his pre-injury form and be a difference-maker on the Blazers' backup frontline.

Either way, thanks in part to Wednesday night’s return, Freeland has proven he's physically prepared to play in the postseason — which he's eager to do.

“I think playoff basketball is what I do — it’s going to be tough, it’s going to be physical, it’s going to be a lot of push,” Freeland said. “I might, I might not, be playing as many minutes as I played tonight. But I feel like I’ll be ready for it.”